Overview
The New York State Housing Access Voucher Program (“HAVP”) was established in 2025 and is administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (“HCR”). HAVP provides state-funded rental assistance to households who have been identified as unhoused or at risk of homelessness. To be considered, qualified households must be referred by their County Department of Social Services (“DSS”) or another entity designated by HCR. HCR is only administering HAVP for counties outside of New York City. The City program will launch at a later date - more details will be available in the coming weeks.
The current referral window for counties outside of New York City opened at 8:00 a.m. on February 2nd and will close promptly at 4:00 p.m. on February 13th, 2026.
HCR IS ONLY ACCEPTING REFERRALS PROVIDED BY COUNTY DEPARTMENTS OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR FAMILIES WHO ARE PRESENTLY HOMELESS OR RESIDING IN A TEMPORARY SHELTER OR LIVING SITUATION DURING THIS REFERRAL PERIOD.
Referrals for at risk households may be considered at a later date.
To qualify for a referral at this time:
- You must presently lack a fixed, regular, night-time residence and/or be residing in a temporary shelter or living situation.
- You must have a household income at or below 50% of your area’s median income (check the Income Limits section below)
- Your household must have been identified by your county DSS as presently homeless.
Qualified households who are referred shall be selected via a lottery. If selected, HCR will pay part of your rent directly to your landlord each month through a voucher. The voucher stays with your household as long as the program remains funded and you remain eligible—even if you move to a new home.
Please note: you cannot move out of New York State with this voucher. You can move within New York State after one year of being on the program.
Income Limits
| County | Number of People in Household | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |
| Albany | $40,650 | $46,450 | $52,250 | $58,050 | $62,700 | $67,350 | $72,000 | $76,650 |
| Allegany | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Broome | $33,100 | $37,800 | $42,550 | $47,250 | $51,050 | $54,850 | $58,600 | $62,400 |
| Cattaraugus | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Cayuga | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Chatauqua | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Chemung | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Chenango | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Clinton | $33,050 | $37,750 | $42,450 | $47,150 | $50,950 | $54,700 | $58,500 | $62,250 |
| Columbia | $39,450 | $45,100 | $50,700 | $56,350 | $60,850 | $65,400 | $69,900 | $74,400 |
| Cortland | $32,300 | $36,900 | $41,500 | $46,100 | $49,800 | $53,500 | $57,200 | $60,900 |
| Delaware | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Dutchess | $43,050 | $49,200 | $55,350 | $61,500 | $66,450 | $71,350 | $76,300 | $81,200 |
| Erie | $35,350 | $40,400 | $45,450 | $50,500 | $54,550 | $58,600 | $62,650 | $66,700 |
| Essex | $32,200 | $36,800 | $41,400 | $45,950 | $49,650 | $53,350 | $57,000 | $60,700 |
| Franklin | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Fulton | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Genesee | $33,950 | $38,800 | $43,650 | $48,450 | $52,350 | $56,250 | $60,100 | $64,000 |
| Greene | $35,150 | $40,100 | $45,150 | $50,150 | $54,200 | $58,200 | $62,200 | $66,200 |
| Herkimer | $31,150 | $35,600 | $40,050 | $44,500 | $48,100 | $51,650 | $55,200 | $58,750 |
| Jefferson | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Lewis | $31,000 | $35,400 | $39,850 | $44,250 | $47,800 | $51,350 | $54,900 | $58,450 |
| Livingston | $36,400 | $41,600 | $46,800 | $51,950 | $56,150 | $60,300 | $64,450 | $68,600 |
| Madison | $36,250 | $41,400 | $46,600 | $51,750 | $55,900 | $60,050 | $64,200 | $68,350 |
| Monroe | $36,400 | $41,600 | $46,800 | $51,950 | $56,150 | $60,300 | $64,450 | $68,600 |
| Montgomery | $31,950 | $36,450 | $41,050 | $45,600 | $49,250 | $52,900 | $56,550 | $60,200 |
| Nassau | $57,750 | $66,000 | $74,250 | $82,450 | $89,050 | $95,650 | $102,250 | $108,850 |
| Niagara | $35,350 | $40,400 | $45,450 | $50,500 | $54,550 | $58,600 | $62,650 | $66,700 |
| Oneida | $31,150 | $35,600 | $40,050 | $44,500 | $48,100 | $51,650 | $55,200 | $58,750 |
| Onondaga | $36,250 | $41,400 | $46,600 | $51,750 | $55,900 | $60,050 | $64,200 | $68,350 |
| Ontario | $36,400 | $41,600 | $46,800 | $51,950 | $56,150 | $60,300 | $64,450 | $68,600 |
| Orleans | $36,400 | $41,600 | $46,800 | $51,950 | $56,150 | $60,300 | $64,450 | $68,600 |
| Oswego | $36,250 | $41,400 | $46,600 | $51,750 | $55,900 | $60,050 | $64,200 | $68,350 |
| Otsego | $31,950 | $36,500 | $41,050 | $45,600 | $49,250 | $52,900 | $56,550 | $60,200 |
| Putnam | $56,700 | $64,800 | $72,900 | $81,000 | $87,500 | $94,000 | $100,450 | $106,950 |
| Rensselaer | $40,650 | $46,450 | $52,250 | $58,050 | $62,700 | $67,350 | $72,000 | $76,650 |
| Rockland | $56,700 | $64,800 | $72,900 | $81,000 | $87,500 | $94,000 | $100,450 | $106,950 |
| St. Lawrence | $31,200 | $35,650 | $40,100 | $44,550 | $48,150 | $51,700 | $55,250 | $58,850 |
| Saratoga | $40,650 | $46,450 | $52,250 | $58,050 | $62,700 | $67,350 | $72,000 | $76,650 |
| Schenectady | $40,650 | $46,450 | $52,250 | $58,050 | $62,700 | $67,350 | $72,000 | $76,650 |
| Schoharie | $40,650 | $46,450 | $52,250 | $58,050 | $62,700 | $67,350 | $72,000 | $76,650 |
| Schuyler | $32,100 | $36,700 | $41,300 | $45,850 | $49,550 | $53,200 | $56,900 | $60,550 |
| Seneca | $32,900 | $37,600 | $42,300 | $46,950 | $50,750 | $54,500 | $58,250 | $62,000 |
| Steuben | $32,000 | $36,550 | $41,100 | $45,650 | $49,350 | $53,000 | $56,650 | $60,300 |
| Suffolk | $57,750 | $66,000 | $74,250 | $82,450 | $89,050 | $95,650 | $102,250 | $108,850 |
| Sullivan | $34,100 | $39,000 | $43,900 | $48,750 | $52,650 | $56,550 | $60,450 | $64,350 |
| Tioga | $33,100 | $37,800 | $42,550 | $47,250 | $51,050 | $54,850 | $58,600 | $62,400 |
| Tompkins | $42,150 | $48,150 | $54,150 | $60,150 | $65,000 | $69,800 | $74,600 | $79,400 |
| Ulster | $41,950 | $47,950 | $53,950 | $59,900 | $64,700 | $69,500 | $74,300 | $79,100 |
| Warren | $35,000 | $40,000 | $45,000 | $50,000 | $54,000 | $58,000 | $62,000 | $66,000 |
| Washington | $35,000 | $40,000 | $45,000 | $50,000 | $54,000 | $58,000 | $62,000 | $66,000 |
| Wayne | $36,400 | $41,600 | $46,800 | $51,950 | $56,150 | $60,300 | $64,450 | $68,600 |
| Westchester | $59,500 | $68,000 | $76,500 | $85,000 | $91,800 | $98,600 | $105,400 | $112,200 |
| Wyoming | $32,150 | $36,750 | $41,350 | $45,900 | $49,600 | $53,250 | $56,950 | $60,600 |
| Yates | $31,100 | $35,550 | $40,000 | $44,400 | $48,000 | $51,550 | $55,100 | $58,650 |
FAQs
Why limit HAVP to DSS referrals? HAVP should be available for all New Yorkers!
The legislation creating HAVP calls for prioritization of homeless New Yorkers. Partnering with DSS will serve our most vulnerable population in the most efficient way. Eligibility documentation collection can create significant bottlenecks in government programming. Working with DSS will expedite initial eligibility determination, as they have much of the required documentation already. Currently there are 17,885 homeless New Yorkers outside of NYC in shelters. 93% of those are in the shelter system, under DSS. Many have been waiting on housing for years. This is a large enough population that it is highly likely all funds will be allocated to this population.
I am a landlord. Am I required to accept HAVP vouchers?
Yes. Discrimination based on lawful source of income, including government vouchers, is illegal. Landlords may not publish any advertisements, including online or print, that indicate a refusal to accept these programs, or express a preference for non-voucher holders.